Nocturna
by LaylaBinx
Summary: The difference a nightmare can make. Chuck/Casey slash :D Extreme fluff!
1. Casey

**I've been playing with this idea for a while but just now got around to writing it :D Hope you like it!!**

**I own nothing!!**

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Casey scowled irritably as he reloaded his gun, jamming the bullets into the chamber with unnecessary force. He was surrounded by very angry arms dealers, that much was apparent, but what really pissed him off was that he didn't have nearly enough bullets to take out all of them. Normally he was up for hand-to-hand combat but today was just not one of those days.

The crate above his head splintered as a bullet ripped the brittle wood. The agent whipped around to one side, barely taking the time to aim before he shot. One of the dealers tumbled backwards with the force of the bullet sinking into his jaw. Casey smirked but his small triumph didn't last long. Within seconds, a stocky man who could probably bench press him with very little effort jerked him away from his wooden barricade and proceeded to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks.

Casey managed to avoid them for the most part, his hand firmly planted on the gun clutched at his side. However, the bigger man noticed the weapon before Casey could put it to good use and grabbed his arm, slamming his hand against a jagged edge of wood. The nerves in Casey's hand were momentarily stunned and the gun clattered to the floor only to be kicked far away by his opponent.

The agent set his jaw tightly, realizing this was going to be a rough fight. He blocked at punch, dodged a kick, and landed a few of his own for good measure. With a burst of strength he wasn't sure he still possessed, Casey rammed the bigger man into a steel pole hidden behind the crates and winced as the vibrations shook through the other man into him. His attacker's eyes rolled back as his skull connected with the steel and he slumped to the ground leaving Casey to stand over his victory.

The click of the gun was unmistakable and Casey froze instantly, realizing he had been cornered and was still without his gun. There was no way to fight it; this was the end.

"Casey!" A voice cried from behind a row of crates.

The agent's eyes widened suddenly and his mouth went dry. Chuck wasn't supposed to be in here…he was supposed to be in the car…

"Catch!" The gun skidded to his feet but before he could reach for it, the deafening crack of the other gun behind him went off. Casey flinched, expecting the worst, but was somewhat surprised to see he was still alive. In an instant the horror struck him.

Chuck looked surprised, his hand flying up to cover the gushing wound in his chest instinctively. Blood streamed through his fingers and pooled over his white shirt. He blinked slowly, not quite believing what had just happened.

"Chuck!" Casey cried, not able to keep his voice from breaking. Without a second thought, the agent snatched the gun from the floor and fired four shots, point blank, into the shooters face. As the man crumpled, Casey was already across the room, skidding to a halt in front of the younger man.

Chuck winced, falling into Casey's shoulder. Blood had stained his shirt crimson and was beginning to soak through Casey's jacket as well.

"Jesus Bartowski…" Casey snapped, his voice cracking as he looked at all of the blood. There was far too much of it…He shook his head and lowered both he and the injured man to the ground. "It's okay…you're going to be alright…" He mumbled, trying to convince himself more than anything.

Chuck laughed weakly, the effort taking way too much energy. "L-Liar…"

Casey fought against the surge of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. "Why didn't you stay in the car?!" He demanded, his fingers brushing across Chuck's pale face.

The younger man smiled faintly, his eyes fluttering. "You…were in trouble…" He gasped, a small trickle of blood staining the corner of his mouth.

Casey shook his head angrily and pressed hard against the wound. "Idiot…" He growled, clutching Chuck's jaw gently as his eyes began to slip closed. "Chuck…Chuck, stay with me okay? Just hang on, you're going to be alright…" But in his heart he knew it wasn't true.

With the last bit of energy he had left, Chuck leaned up, pressing his pale, bloody lips to Casey's. "Love you…" He whispered weakly before the energy completely left him and he slumped back. The light faded from his eyes and he exhaled one final time.

Casey was trembling all over, clutching the younger man close even though it was already too late. He could still taste Chuck's blood on his lips mixing with the tears that had suddenly begun to fall without his permission. The intersect was gone and with it went Chuck Bartowski.

**OOOOO**

Casey bolted upright in the bed, his eyes darting around the dark room rapidly. For a moment he was confused, the thin sheet of sweat that covered his naked torso making him shiver in the coolness of the room. Slowly, recognition began to dawn and he recognized the furniture, the smell of his house, the bed he was sitting in. Unconsciously, Casey released the grip he had on the gun tucked beneath his pillow, his fingers cracking from the effort.

The agent let go a sigh and closed his eyes for a second, desperately willing away the memory of the dream. The sheets were warm and he opened his eyes slowly, looking to the person currently occupying the position next to him.

Chuck was stretched on his back, one arm tossed over his head and his face tipped away from Casey. A few sleep-mussed dark curls had fallen over his forehead, wisping across his pale features and creating elegant, sweeping patterns.

Casey stared at him for a minute, unable to move his eyes away from the younger man. Chuck was lay unmoving, so incredibly still, that for a moment Casey feared the worst. It wouldn't be the first time a lover had been killed in the dead of night while sharing his bed.

Hesitantly, almost as if afraid of what he may find, Casey slid his hand over the fabric of Chuck's shirt, the cotton soft and warm beneath his touch. He pressed his palm flat over the younger man's chest, closing his eyes and concentrating. He could feel the sleep-slowed rhythm of Chuck's heartbeat vibrating beneath his fingers and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

For a while, all Casey could do was sit and stare, listening to him breathe. He vaguely wondered when he had become so attached to the younger man, why the idea of losing him affected him so strongly. He took a slow breath and closed his eyes again, his thumb absently caressing Chuck's collarbone through his shirt.

Chuck shifted ever so slightly and blinked, his dark eyes veiled by sleep. "Casey…?" He asked, his words heavy and mumbled. "Are you okay…? What's wrong?"

When the agent didn't answer him right away, Chuck started to sit up but was stopped as Casey pulled him into a tight embrace. A little startled, Chuck stiffened and rested his chin on the older man's shoulder. "Casey…?"

"Everything is fine." Casey answered softly, pressing a gently kiss to Chuck's temple. "Everything is fine now." Without any further explanation, Casey leaned back into the pillows, taking Chuck with him. He held him close, breathing in the minty scent of the younger man's hair. He couldn't let go, not now.

"Casey?" Chuck asked again, still somewhat confused by the agents actions. Even though they had been together for almost four months the older man was never this affectionate. "You sure you're okay?"

"Stay."

"Huh…?

Casey closed his eyes, breathing the word again. "Stay." He hid his face against Chuck's jaw and tightened his hold. "Just stay with me. I just…I need to be able to hold on to you for a while…"

Realization dawned slowly and Chuck smiled, pressing feather-light kisses to the agent's brow. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." He smiled and began stroking his fingers down Casey's arm. "Don't worry." It was rare that Casey ever needed comforting, let alone from a simple nightmare, but Chuck was glad to offer it.

The roles reversed and Chuck cradled Casey against his shoulder, rubbing slow, lazy circles over his back. Slowly, the agent began to relax into the embrace and closed his eyes, his grip on Chuck still tight and possessive. Chuck smiled again and let his eyes slip closed, falling back into the welcoming embrace of sleep where nightmares where long gone.

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**Chuck's nightmare up next!! Woot!! :D**


	2. Chuck

**Part 2!! Okay this dream was a little more violent, I'm sorry O.o Hope you like it though!!**

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The blast was deafening, blinding in powerful rush of flame and concrete. Chuck staggered backward as the ground shook beneath his feet, too stunned to really grasp what had just happened.

He opened his eyes, blinking slowly as his surroundings flooded back to him. The air was hot, heavy with the smell of smoke and atmosphere. There was a dull ringing in his ears but that wasn't the main focus of his concerns at the moment.

"Casey!!" Chuck cried, rushing to the smoldering wreckage of the house. Ellie and Devon were gone for the weekend and Sarah was at the Orange Orange so their safety was almost ensured but Chuck knew for a fact that Casey had been home when the explosion took place.

He could hear the wail of sirens in the background but paid them no mind; all he could focus on finding the agent in question. There was a faint, pained moan from somewhere off to his left and Chuck whipped around, his eyes widening instantly. "Oh God…Casey…"

The agent lay in a contorted heap about thirty feet away, his legs and arms twisted in obscure, shocking angles. Chuck rushed to his side, dropping to his knees in the crumbled concrete and foundation that was left of Casey's house.

"OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod…." Chuck mumbled incoherently as he stared in horror at the injured man before him. Casey's handsome face was charred and shredded, almost unrecognizable from the extent of the burns. His clothing had melted to his skin, forming a second layer of fusion that couldn't possibly be removed. The stench of charred flesh and blood hung in the air thickly and Chuck gagged involuntarily as he inhaled.

Casey managed to look up at him then, his eyes unfocused and blank. His neck was twisted awkwardly, the bones rippling under his skin in an odd pattern. He opened his mouth to say something, the gleaming outline of his jawbone visible from beneath the shredded skin. However, the words caught in his throat and froze, never making it out into the open. There was a small gasp and he fell back, eyes empty and staring.

Chuck covered his mouth with his hands, tears already streaming down his face. He shook his head sharply, angrily, but there was nothing that could be done. Even if the ambulance had gotten here in time, Major John Casey still would have died in smoldering ashes of the destroyed building.

**OOOOO**

A strangled cry ripped itself from Chuck's throat as he jerked himself into a sitting position.

Casey was sitting up a split second later, his gun clutched in his hand tightly as he scanned the room for any possible danger. Not seeing an immediate threat to his or Chuck's life, he glared at the younger man irritably. "Jesus Bartowski, I should shoot you just to prove a point." He muttered under his breath but something about the younger man's posture and facial expression stopped his scolding from continuing. "Chuck?"

Chuck glanced to the side, his eyes locking with Casey's for a split second. However, what he saw was not the face the handsome, if somewhat sleep-mussed, agent beside him; he saw the broken, burned man from his dream. The smell of burnt skin and hair lodged in the back of his throat and the memory overwhelmed him again. Without an explanation, Chuck bolted blindly from the bedroom and made a mad dash for the bathroom. He collapsed in front of the toilet, heaving as the contents of his stomach forcefully removed themselves.

All previous irritation gone, Casey frowned in concern, listening to the painful wretching coming from the other room. He got out of the bed and walked into the hallway, looking into the bathroom to see the younger man still hunched over the edge of the toilet, his shoulders trembling from the strain. Grimacing in sympathy, Casey walked into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water from the refrigerator before returning to the restroom.

By the time he'd come back, the episode was over and Chuck sat slumped against the wall, knees pulled to his chest and face flushed from exertion. Casey frowned again and pulled out a clean washcloth from beneath the sink, dampening it with the water from the bottle. He wrung out the excess water and walked over to sit next to the trembling younger man, absently flushing the toilet as he slid down the wall.

Gently, Casey wrapped the damp cloth across the back of Chuck's neck, pausing for a second to feel if he had a fever. Satisfied that the younger man was at least relatively healthy and that hadn't been the cause of the sudden vomiting, he leaned back and examined his face closely.

Chuck was pale, his cheeks still flushed from the earlier attack. His eyes were glassy and bright and his body shook with a few remaining tremors that had stayed behind. He jumped a little when Casey offered him the bottle of water, but smiled faintly and accepted it, taking a small sip and closing his eyes.

"You okay?" The agent asked after a second, not entirely sure what had upset the younger man so much.

Chuck laughed weakly and shook his head, keeping his eyes closed. "No…" He answered after a second, his voice raw. "I just had one of the worst dreams of my entire life…"

Casey was floored. "A dream?! You just had a complete breakdown because of a dream?!" He demanded angrily, not entirely sure whether he should yell at Chuck or laugh at him. The tears sliding down the younger man's face from beneath his closed eyes stopped him from either.

Chuck shook his head again and scrubbed at his face angrily. "It's stupid…I know…"

With a soft sigh, Casey shook his head and cupped Chuck's jaw gently. "Not its not. Not if it affected you this much." He looked into the glassy brown eyes of the man next to him and brushed his thumb along his cheekbone. "Tell me."

Chuck was silent for a few seconds, not wanting to remember the dream anymore than he had to, but realizing it may help to get it out. "You died." He answered softly after a minute, not wanting to go into anymore detail than necessary, and waiting for the agent to laugh or scold him. It didn't happen.

Instead, Casey wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a warm, safe embrace. "You idiot." He breathed quietly into the younger man's hair. "I'm not going anywhere. God knows you can't take care of yourself…" He pressed a kiss to Chuck's temple and added. "Besides, you couldn't get rid of me even if you tried."

That was all the reassurance Chuck needed. The tears fell freely now and he clung to Casey with every ounce of strength he possessed, his fingers tangled in the soft cotton of his shirt. They stayed that way for a long time, neither one willing to move for fear of having to release the other. Finally, when Casey was sure the tears had stopped, he pressed a gentle kiss to Chuck's forehead and looked down at him. "Let's get you back to bed, huh?"

Too exhausted to disagree, Chuck allowed himself to be pulled up and quietly led back into the bedroom. Casey got in bed first, pulling back the blankets and motioning for the younger man to get in beside him. He didn't need much encouragement. Within seconds, Chuck had pressed himself to Casey's side, wrapping his arms around the agent's muscled back tightly.

Casey smiled softly and stroked Chuck's hair. "Go to sleep." He whispered, leaning back into a more comfortable position. "I'm not going anywhere."

Satisfied with his answer, Chuck snuggled a little closer and closed his eyes, relaxing and falling into a restless sleep. The dream affected him more than he thought, however, because occasionally he'd jerk awake, looking around in startled confusion only to see Casey watching him with intense concern. Upon seeing him still alive and well, Chuck would relax again and fall back into the same restless slumber.

Casey became used to this pattern as the night wore on and began to catch it before Chuck would actually wake up. He could feel the younger man's heartbeat begin to race against his chest and hear his breathing increase. When the beginnings of another nightmare would start to surface, Casey would lean over and whisper into the sleeping man's ear; senseless and mumbled reassurances, but it seemed to work better than anything else.

Eventually, Chuck managed to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, his breathing slowing and the tight grip on Casey's shirt loosening. Casey smiled and glanced at the clock, noticing it was almost 6:15 am. He didn't mind a sleepless night, he'd done it hundreds of times during his life, but tonight was the first time he'd actually wanted to stay awake. The proximity, the very comfort of his presence, allowed Chuck to sleep peacefully through the rest of the night and that was fine but him. He would gladly sacrifice another night of sleep if that's what it took to make sure Chuck could rest peacefully. Besides, he had no intention of going anywhere anytime soon.

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**Let me know what you think, okay?? :D**


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